Durga returns to Tripura's killing fields

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Durga returns to Tripura's killing fields

Author: Manas Paul

 

Publication: The Times of India

 

October 6, 2005

 

URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1253835.cms

 

 

 

The Tribals will invite Bengalis who fled from Takarjala to attend

the

puja to make the festival colourful in Tripura.

 

 

 

Agartala: There are no Bengalis in Tripura's Jampuijala-Takarjala

anymore. They left a few years back, staring at death and defeat at

the

hands of tribal militants. And with them vanished the annual Durga

Puja.

This year the goddess has returned.

 

 

 

The tribals, who once helplessly saw her being sent away, have

brought

her back. Tribal communities, who could do little as Bengalis fled

what

was one of Tripura's killing fields, a "free zone"of separatist

militants, said they took the initiative as they "missed" their

Bengali

neighbours too much.

 

 

 

Bikash Debbarma, secretary of Radiant Club in Takarjala, said: "This

year our club will organise the puja in a big way. It will have a

distinct tribal touch though.

 

 

 

The Durga idol will be attired in tribal dresses like Ria and

Pacchra. A

tribal, Sumanta Debbarnma, would construct the pandal. And we shall

invite the families who fled from Takarjala to attend the puja."

 

 

 

Trigger-happy militants had forbidden all Hindu festivals in large

parts

of the state, Jampuijala-Takarjala being one. The situation turned

worse

with large-scale displacement of Bengalis from the area due to

violence.

 

 

 

An area with mixed population once, the region does not have any

non-tribal population now.

 

 

 

But the tribals are undeterred. Since last year, winds of change have

begun blowing across the land with many local clubs deciding to

organise

Durga Puja. "As many as 13 puja panels in Jampuijala-Takarjala sought

permission from the police station.

 

 

 

And all these clubs and puja committees are run by tribals, "a police

officer from the area said. In fact, this is for the first time that

Durga Puja is being held at remote Sombariabazar.

 

 

 

The festive mood is pervasive. The Shantikami Club here has decided

to

organise a four-day long cultural programme and stage a play that has

aptly been called Abar Phirey Takao, Turn Back to Us Again.

 

 

 

"We can't forget how Jampuijala was once considered the best example

of

mixed culture and communal fraternity,"said a nostalgic Abhiram

Debbarma

of Humchung Club.

 

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